Vegan lifestyle articles that discuss ways of living in peace with humans, animals, and the environment.
I started advocating more strongly for myself, while remaining mindful of being respectful and considerate. When needed, I made my own alternative arrangements. Surprisingly, co-workers would opt to join me, and I noticed a shift as colleagues became more understanding and accommodating — highlighting the power of a little practice of Ahimsa.
Ahimsa Necklace. Photo credit: Salina Shah
Ahimsa Paramo Dharma. Our highest duty is to reduce the harm we inflict. This ancient Sanskrit phrase is a central tenet of Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism, and has more recently been popularized by Mahatma Gandhi in his advocacy for non-violence. This imperative aligns with my own values and moral compass, and so I embraced it as I transitioned to a vegan lifestyle.
Ahimsa—non-violence towards all living beings—became my mantra. When I
came across a silver necklace engraved with the word Ahimsa, I knew that it
would quickly become my favorite piece of jewelry. That is how I found
myself wearing an Ahimsa necklace as I walked into a corporate team dinner
at a steakhouse.
I usually try to steer team dinners towards inclusive places with
plant-based options. But since steakhouses and seafood establishments are
the corporate norm, I knew not to walk in without either calling ahead or
reviewing the menu in advance. I became adept at improvising with available
plant-based swaps or relying on side dishes as the meal. But I was not
prepared for this Brazilian steakhouse.
I studied the menu on the website in advance. There weren’t any obvious
alternatives or swaps, so I called the restaurant. The receptionist insisted
that there would be ample vegan options available. Which vegan dishes? She
couldn’t say for sure. Their sizable salad bar has rotating items, and they
would only know which specific items would be available on that day.
Resigned to make the best of it, I went to the dinner.
We had a lovely private room for our team. Leaving our belongings there,
we made our way to the huge salad bar. I was confident that I would find
plant-based options there, and I circled the bar to survey the items.
Despite the vast, colorful array of items, most of the items contained
cheese, butter or meat. Even the salad had cheese mixed in. I found a few
vegetables and went back to our table. Other dishes were being brought
directly to the table. Surely there would be other options there.
I asked the waitstaff if they had any vegan options. Seeing their stumped
looks, I suggested rice and beans from their menu; however, they explained
that neither was vegan. So, I asked for some plain rice. In the meantime,
they served rolls that they said were vegan. But, after one bite, I realized
they were full of butter. I continued picking at my vegetables and waited
for the plain rice, which never came. Then, it was time for the main course.
Now, I had been to plenty of steakhouses in the past as part of corporate
dinners where colleagues would order their individual dishes. Here, though,
each waiter carried a stack of a different type of meat on a large skewer
and circled the room offering each person their food. As the evening went
on, the waiters circled dozens of times, and I realized that this was an
“all-you-can-eat” method of serving cuts of meat. It seemed like entire
families of sheep, cows, chickens, pigs, and fish had been cooked, skewered,
stacked, and paraded around the room. It was hard to watch.
Seeing the unnerving display of animal flesh and feeling unsure if I could
get through the dinner, I contemplated getting up and walking out. But then
I considered the feelings of my colleagues. My leaving could have made them
uncomfortable, potentially ruining their dining experience and constituting
a form of harm towards them. In that moment, I thought about the
significance of wearing the Ahimsa necklace.
While veganism focuses on animals, the practice of Ahimsa includes
people. So, when looking at a situation through a strictly vegan lens,
animal welfare might be of utmost importance. However, when applying the
broader meaning of Ahimsa, impact on both people and animals should be
considered. How do you weigh human suffering versus animal suffering? How do
you balance a human life against an animal life? I don’t know. However,
respect, compassion, and empathy towards our fellow humans ought to be part
of the equation.
This awareness gave me the strength to stay put and make the best of the
situation. However, afterwards, I started advocating more strongly for
myself, while remaining mindful of being respectful and considerate. When
needed, I made my own alternative arrangements. Surprisingly, co-workers
would opt to join me, and I noticed a shift as colleagues became more
understanding and accommodating — highlighting the power of a little
practice of Ahimsa.
Based in Boston, Salina Shah has been vegetarian for the past 30 years and vegan for the past five. She has personal experience with workplace challenges associated with maintaining an ethical vegan and plant-based lifestyle while rising to become a corporate executive at a Fortune 500 company. She founded Ahimsa Consulting (Instagram @ahimaconsulting) to raise employer awareness of the need to incorporate organizational sensitivity towards and inclusion of the growing number of plant-based employees.
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